River Spree, Wannsee and Havel Lakes, Berlin - Off the Beaten Path - VirtualTourist Off The Beaten Path Type the characters in the box Send me the VT Newsletter (you can unsubscribe at any time) I've read and agree to the terms of the User Agreement and the Privacy Statement . You are required to read the User Agreement and the Privacy Statement. Off The Beaten Path in Berlin River Spree, Wannsee and Havel Lakes Molecule Man framing the TV Tower. photo_library 2/10 3: Again, just walk along the shore photo_library 5/10 4: Your pick: head to main station or Dt. Quarter photo_library 9/10 Private Berlin Custom Half-Day Tour with Private Driver and Guide "Your day will start with your guide meeting you at your hotel before driving to Germany’s parliament building the Reichstag. On the way your guide will kick off the day with an overview of Berlin’s 800-year history from its humble beginnings to the creative world city it is today.You’ll then pass Berlin’s gleaming €1bn main train station Hauptbahnhof before driving to visit the most famous entrance to Berlin’s historical center the Brandenburg Gate.

From there you will be taken to Berlin’s most famous Holocaust memorial the poignant ‘Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe’.Following this you’ll get a chance to stand above the remains of Hitler’s Bunker Berlin Pass Including Entry to More Than 50 Attractions "Berlin is a big bustling city full of museums art galleries iconic landmarks and historic monuments. Where to begin? With the Berlin Sightseeing Pass! The pass offers fantastic value and convenience with free entry to more than 50 top Berlin attractions plus included sightseeing tours river cruises (summer only) and walking tours that allow you to explore all sides of the German capital.If you want to learn more about Berlin's artistic and cultural side Private Tour: Berlin City Highlights "You’ll be picked up from your hotel in the morning for your 3-hour private sightseeing tour. Learn about Berlin’s turbulent history diverse architecture and thriving art and cultural scene as you explore the city by private vehicle. As this is a private tour you can customize the exact itinerary to your preferences; simply let your guide know if you have any special interests.

Visit historic sites such as Potsdamer Platz Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) Checkpoint Charlie Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom) Charlottenburg Palace (Schloss Charlottenburg) and the town hall. Hop out to walk alongside the remains of the Berlin Wall River Cruises & Boat Trips - Berlin.de River Cruises & Boat Trips Berlin has two large rivers- Spree and Havel- as well as lots of lakes and canals where ships and riverboats cruise. The Spree river flows in arches through the center of Berlin, south of it runs the Landwehr canal. Therefore, all boat tours through the inner city follow the same route over the Spree river and the Landwehr canal, only length and duration of the boat tours vary, depending on start and finish points. Several shipping companies offer riverboat tours, prices and schedules vary depending on the length of the route, services and extras. Each company has its own piers. This page presents the most popular river cruises, tickets can be bought online. Spree Bicycle Tour Site Map Spree Bicycle Tour The Spree River starts in Saxony near the border between Germany and the Czech Republic.

It flows North to its confluence with the Havel in Germany's beautiful and exciting capital city, Berlin. Tour Overview: July, 2001. This7-day tour of the Spree River starts at the springs that are the source of the Spree in Neugersdorf, Saxony in the area of Upper Lusatia (Oberlausitz). The path is in good condition and the various governmental regions are constantly improving it. Short sections of the trail (mostly through the State of Brandenburg) are unpaved and only of dirt or sand. In dry conditions, this sandy soil can turn into what I call 'sand puddles;' they are much like a mud puddle but dry. Riding through the deepest of these will slow your bicycle to a stop. If not careful, one can lose balance and tip over. The tour takes you through 4 different German states over 250 miles (402 km) to Berlin. The former East Germany has recovered from 50 years of egalitarian rule (which caused everyone to be equally poor) and its people are rapidly remodeling and improving both their homes and their commercial buildings.

While many buildings are not yet upgraded, many already sport the modern color schemes and freshly painted appearance common in the west. The first day is a little hilly. If you, like us, are members of the Over-Fifty-With-Bad-Knees Club, you’ll still be able to negotiate all but the steepest of them. The path is in excellent shape except for the sand we found on the last two days. In the future, these sandy parts will probably be paved over. Maxa's brother, Guntram, joined us on this ride. We enjoy his company and he is knowledgeable about the region's beers. A skill that I am tempted to pay him for. I just hope he does not read this paragraph and demand compensation. Path sign, notice sticker @ low left Use of sticker on other signs Signage: The Spree Radweg, or cycle path, is depicted by path signs representing a meandering river flowing from what appears to be a fountain in the mountains to the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor in Berlin). Frequently, a sticker with this same logo will be applied to other signs clearly indicating a part of the bike path.

The graphic will appear differently in different German states but over all, signage is better than many long-distance bike routes in Germany. The last day, as you enter the state of Berlin at Erkner, the Spree signs are discontinued and the path follows an R-1 bike path into the center of Berlin. Accommodations: We were concerned that a bike route in the eastern part of Germany might not have the number or quality of bed and breakfast (Privat Zimmer) accommodations we have come to expect. Rest assured they do. Although a couple nights we did find our accommodations a little rustic, others were quite well appointed. The Spree has sufficient choices of rooms but nowhere near as many per mile as the route along the Danube for example. After the first two days, there are three of us on this tour. So each day, we will guess at where we will want to stop for the night and call ahead to make reservations. Two rooms are more difficult to find than one. We used the section in the back of our bikeline guidebook as the source of information and phone numbers.

As a choice, we like Zimmer (advertised as Zimmer Frei) but there are also Gasthäuser (Guest Houses), Pensionen (pensions or bed and breakfasts), Jugendherbergen (Youth Hostels), and hotels. For a complete discussion of the different types of accommodations and tips on reservations, see my Overnight Accommodations page. Stops: The interesting things to see along the way are the cities of Bautzen with its Sorbian culture, Cottbus, an area called the Spreewald between Burg and Lübbenau, and of course, the capital city of Berlin. Maps and Guidebooks: The detailed map and guidebook that we use is the 'bikeline Spree-Radweg, (Von der Quelle nach Berlin), Radtourenbuch und Karte, 1:75,000, published by Verlag Roland Esterbauer , GmbH. Back to the top Day 1: Neugersdorf to Bautzen Day Overview: Today’s ride is mostly paved but hilly. I do not know why rivers insist on starting high up in hills or mountains.

We ride 28 miles (45.1 km) from the spring in Neugersdorf to the old Nicolaikirche (Nicholas Church) in Bautzen. The path winds through village and farmland following the “river” (which is only a small creek at the beginning and is not much larger as it flows through Bautzen). We want to keep the ride short today because we want plenty of time to enjoy sightseeing in Bautzen. Bautzen has much to offer from the old re-education prison from the communist days to fine examples of the Sorbian culture. We ride through the area called Oberlausitz in German and Upper Lusatia in English. Oberlausitz was famous for its textile weaving in bygone years before modern computerized weaving processes. Many homes in this area housed looms; a fact that causes a unique architectural design to the homes. Frequently, the homes have portion of the ground floor built in a solid, heavy timbered, sometimes-Romanesque style. That portion is inconsistent with the style of rest of the home, which is usually half-timbered and wraps itself around the Romanesque portion. The heavily constructed portion is where the loom used to sit.

Because of its vibration, the portion of the home that housed it, needed to be much more sturdy than did the balance of them home - thus the mixing of styles. We are more fortunate that most readers of this travelogue. We have friends who live outside of Bautzen, Matthias and Bärbel. One of whom guides for us the first two days and the other, out of the kindness of her heart, takes our panniers in the car and meets us at their home. That allows us to ride the first day (and the second day too – as it turns out) with “naked bikes” unencumbered by the weight (between 25 and 45 pounds of our luggage. My load is heavier because I am carrying tools and a few replacement parts. We spend the night at our friend's home and therefore do not gain any experience with the local overnight accommodations. But grilling our evening meal in a picturesque garden, drinking local Bier, and enjoying the company of friends beats hotel food and hotel rooms any day. The night before the start, we eat a great dinner with our friends at the Hungarian restaurant in Neugersdorf.

I admire the wine for its unusual flavor and am rewarded with a whole bottle as a gift from the proprietor. I thought, “Great – now I have to carry it all the way to Berlin on a bicycle.” But I thank him for his generosity anyway and tuck that bottle into my panniers. But as you already know, we don’t have to lug the panniers for the first two days. Mile 0 (0 km): We start at the spring for the Spree in the town of Neugersdorf. There is another spring uphill from here but it seems like too much work convincing the others that they should ride a couple miles uphill just to come back down again so I take the easy solution and decide to start my mileage counter at the spring in the town. There is a swimming pool here too but it is too early in the morning for such activity. Mile 11.2 (18.0 km): Watch out as you leave the paved path and come to a road going uphill between two cemeteries at a church. The bike path sign seems to point uphill to the left but it is meant to lead you diagonally across the paved road onto the cobblestone surface.

I can assure you that the view from the top of the hill, while nice, is not worth the effort, really. Mile 13.6 (21.9 km): We cross the Himmelsbrücke (Heaven’s Bridge) over a small stream. Built in 1796 (20 years after America’s Revolutionary War), it used to cross the Spree before the course of the river was changed. Just a half a mile further, there is a neat garden on the left with a model train chugging through the garden, a model landscape, and in and out of the owner’s home. A teenager would say, “Way Cool!” being much more adult, I just say, “Neat!” Mile 22.0 (35.4 km): After several hills (60 to 100 feet of elevation change each) we ride past a bridge over the Spree to our left. It is an interesting bridge, built in 1200 by the King of Bohemia. It is still in use today, but not for automobiles; they use the modern bridge next to it.

In just three tenths of a mile from this bridge, we will push our bikes across a narrow footbridge next to an old mill. Mile 27.3 (43.9 km): We enter Bautzen at mile 27.3 (43.9 km) when we cross under a high railroad bridge but we leave the trail for our stay in Bautzen at the Nicolaikirche where the trail crosses the Spree again. We will spend the night and half a day tomorrow enjoying our friend’s company and an excellent guided tour of Bautzen. To get here we had to negotiate several more hills but the positive spin on the hills is that we have dropped over 700 feet in elevation today. Bautzen was an important trading center during the late Middle Ages. But it was mostly forgotten by commerce and industry even before WWII. That fact helped it avoid damage during the war and its central core still reflects the past grandeur. Today, it is a center for tourism and small industry, such as the firm that makes massive paper cutting machines that employees our friend Matthias. A word about the Sorbs. One cannot (or should not) leave Bautzen without gathering some appreciation for this culture.

The word 'Sorb' can be confusing; I have heard it used as a synonym for Slavic or as a name of a particular tribe of Slavic people. I will use it in the sense of a Slavic tribe. The Sorbs that settled in the region known today as Lausitz, or Lusatia. In an earlier form of German, the word Lausitz meant swamp dweller but today it just means the area between the German border with the Czech Republic and Lübbenau. Bautzen is in the center of Oberlausitz. Neiderlausitz or low Lusatia is the flat land around Cottbus and the Spreewald. The area of Lausitz is home to over 100,000 Sorbs. Sorbs operate their own schools educating their children in their culture. The Sorbian language uses many additional letters and examples abound. Every street sign is in both German and Sorbian. Several important museums in Bautzen explain the Sorbian culture more fully. Basically, this tribe was victimized by other Germanic tribes through history. Sometime before Christ, this Slavic tribe, who followed a pagan religion settled between the Oder and the Elbe rivers.

In the Middle Ages, they were repeatedly attacked by their Christian neighbors in an effort not only to expand Christendom but also the duchy of Saxony. Today, they are a distinct but fascinating ethnic minority that lends color to the area. Back to the top Day 2: Bautzen to Sprey Day Overview: Today’s ride will be 27.6 miles (44.4 km). It is a short day because we spent so much time sightseeing in Bautzen. Except for a gradual hill that rises 70 feet to Kronförstchen at mile 3.3, the path is flat to gently downhill. Mile 0 (0 km): After checking out Bautzen and climbing the stairs in Bautzen’s own leaning tower, we eat a great lunch along the town wall overlooking the river. Mile 27.6 (44.4 km): We end the day at Gasthaus Zheidekrug in Sprey. This is a typical Gasthaus with hunting trophies on the wall and a friendly family-run atmosphere with plenty of Bier and Gemutlishkeit. The current owners great grandfather who also ran the Gasthaus collected most of the hunting trophies.

Sprey is deservedly proud of its 200-year old log Church. Day 3: Sprey to Peitz Day Overview: Today’s ride will be 44 miles (70 km). The good news is there are few hills today, and there is no bad news. We are riding in late July and the weather is wonderful. The path today seems flat but actually drops a couple hundred feet gradually through the day. Cottbus provides us with an interesting experience at an archeological dig in their central retail district and some confusion trying to decipher the route signs through that community. Mile 0 (0 km): After a great breakfast at Zheidekrug Gasthaus, we make our way north, along the bike path toward Neustadt. We ride past the Boxberg coalmine and power plant. Brown coal, unlike black coal, is soft. It is common in Europe and has been used as an industrial fuel as well as for heating homes and apartments for many years. Because it pollutes the air unless it is burned efficiently, using brown coal for residential heating has been outlawed in much of Germany.

However, with modern technology, power plants can make efficient use of the fuel, as is the case here at Boxberg. The operation of the mine and the power plant is huge. There are several tall chimneys and many cooling towers covering acres of land. Some would say that the view is less than pristine and I won’t argue – but it is interesting to see the equipment and the operation rather than pastoral fields and river valleys. At least the view is different and I welcome it. Mile 12.5 (20.1 km): Cross the state boarder into Brandenburg. The trail has been paved and pleasant with several picnic tables along the way. Mile 13.0 (20.9 km): Turn left at the sign and cross the Spree. I am guessing that if you miss this sign, you’ll probably be able to connect back with the trail in the next town, Slamen, a suburb of Spremberg. At mile 14.4, the path crosses the Spree again, then turns to gravel as it follows the dike north out of Spremberg.

Mile 19.0 (30.6 km): From Bühlow, we ride the next 6 miles along the west shore of Spremberg Reservoir. It is pretty sight on a sunny day. Mile 32.0 (51.5 km): In the middle of Cottbus the map and the path become confusing. In general, Cottbus has a dearth of Spree bike path signs and it is confusing with the signs for a Pickle bicycle path and a Devil bicycle path. We are in a large park; the Gartenanlage or park is leftover from the National Garden Show several years ago. We have the option of carrying our bikes up many stairs to cross the railroad or riding the paved path marked as alternate to the east, which will loop south and cross under the busy street, then take you north again under the railroad. We recommend the alternate route because we can ride our bikes instead of carrying them over the stairs. Further, the signs seem to purposely take us off the mapped path and into the downtown area. Since we want to see Cottbus anyway, we allow this deviation from what we know from the map is the correct way.

Seeing an archeological dig right in the middle of the pedestrian zone of Cottbus rewards us. Only 3 feet below the surface, the university students conducting the dig, uncover artifacts from the Middle Ages. We rejoin the path at the Sandower Strasse Bridge. Mile 43.8 (70.5 km): We stop for the day at Pension Pahn, Mittelstrasse 7. It is clean and quite nice but the bathroom is down the hall. There are 4 rooms and only one other guest so we feel comfortable with the arrangement. As one would guess, Mittelstrasse is in the center of town and we enjoy a nice walk to a Schloss just north of the town where we have our dinner. Back to the top Day 4: Peitz to Lübbeneau Day Overview: The first stop today will be Burg, the beginning of the Spreewald. The Spreewald is interesting geologically. The land is so flat that the river spreads out into several smaller channels and then comes back together again further north around Lübbenau, our goal for the day. In America, we call this kind of terrain “river flats” but it rarely occurs.

The Spreewald is a major tourist draw in Germany. It was such even during communist rule before reunification. In this area, coffee-colored water moves slowly through both natural and manmade channels. Tall deciduous trees line the channel banks breaking the sunlight into small rays that color everything with sharply contrasting dapples. The paths frequently lead to arched footbridges (some involving a few stairs) over the channels. The bridges are high so that the low-slung canoe-like boats can be poled under them as they take tourists and locals alike through the maze of waterways. The Spreewald is famous for pickles and horseradish. We help the local economy by purchasing at least a small jar of each. This weight adds little to that of the large wine bottle I have been carrying since Bautzen. Today it is more important to know the next town on the bike path. There is a shortage of bicycle signs but plenty of signs indicating the distance and direction to the various communities. Follow the signs to the next village and you won’t go to far wrong. The mileage today will be 26 miles (42 km) and the path is flat and mostly paved.

We spent most of the day sightseeing in the Spreewald. Mile 0 (0 km): We leave our Pension and pick up the trail at the railroad tracks. At mile 1.8, we pass a sign that says FKK. That stands for Freie Körper Kultur; it means that this is a nude sunbathing area. Just in case you have tender sensibilities, you might want to keep your eyes glued to your front tire. However, it is too early for those who believe in “free body culture” and strain my eyes as I might, I see nothing of note. And Maxa won't let me take pictures in an FKK either. Can you just imagine it; asking a nude sunbather to smile? How impolite! Mile 5.3 (8.5 km): In Maiberg, we turn right on the dike. On the map, the alternate route suggests the paved road parallel to the dike – a better choice. But we are up here now and the path is not that bad so we stay on it for the next mile or so. The picture on the right of the mile post to the left is in Lübben.

It shows the hours and the "miles" (an archaic German measurement from before the metric system) to Berlin and to Bautzen. The miles were about 40 km long. The tricky thing is, different governments in Germany had different distance standards for one mile. Mile 13.5 (21.7 km): We stop for a morning break at a Bismarckturm on the edge of Burg and therefore on the edge of the Spreewald. This is a 27 meters-high monument to Bismarck, the Chancellor of Germany before World War I. (There are several Bismarcktürme in Germany but this one is the largest I know of.) The informational sign tell us that people first settled this area over 7,000 years ago in the early Stone Age. It makes sense, mid-latitude, lots of rain, fertile soil, easy water transportation, places to hide from enemies in the Spreewald; heck, I would have settled here too - but I am not that old. Mile 14.5 (23.3 km): We turn right following signs to Leipe.

There are trails everywhere and few signs to confirm that we are on the correct bike path. That’s OK. We are in the middle of the Spreewald and it is just too pretty and unusual to be watching out for signs anyway. I know that we might get off the path but we can hardly get lost. All paths lead somewhere after all. As I mentioned before, just keep in mind the names of the communities ahead of you and pedal in that general direction. The paths form a kind of a grid system. Mile 26.3 (42.3 km): After wandering around in the Spreewald with out recording any extra mileage, we stay the night with the family Halka, a Privat Zimmer listed in the guidebook. They are at Stennewitzer Strasse 21. The Halkas are nice people but the accommodations are a little rustic and sparse on creature comforts. Still, I would stay here again. Back to the top Day 5: Lübbenau to Werder Day Overview: Like yesterday and tomorrow, today is sunny and flat. We did find what I consider the worst of all riding conditions; deep sand.

However there are only a few spots of sand in a 2.5 mile section and with any luck the path will be paved in the future. Mile 0 (0 km): Frau Halka and her daughter serve us a nice breakfast, we pack up and leave for the short ride to Lübben. We can pick up an alternate of the main bike path just a block away from our Zimmer. Mile 1.7 (2.7 km): We cross the river with a footbridge. It is one that you can ride over but I advise walking your bike, at least down the back side because the right turn at the end of the bridge is very sharp and if you are not going dead slow, you may die in the ditch just after where you should have turned. Mile 2.9 (4.7 km): Sand. It is the first time we have seen it ever in Germany (July 2001) and there is much more to come. Soft sand is the toughest riding condition for narrow-tire bikes like mine [I later purchased a new bicycle with wider tires and made this bicycle my "Bier Bike"]. It is even worse than wet cobblestone.

This portion is consists of three, skinny, parallel sand tracks that we keep hopping back and forth between to find the firmest track. I bet the tourism office will pave this in a couple years. The good news is that after 2.5 miles, it becomes gravel and it is much easier riding. Mile 8.9 (14.3 km): After leaving Lübben, we find the path is paved with cement slabs about 3 feet by 9 feet laid widthwise across the path. The name for this type of 'pavement' is Plattenweg. The joints in the concrete jar my fillings loose. Still, it’s better than the sand underneath. This type of road was probably a temporary roads made for armored vehicles during the war. We are next to a military exercise area. Mile 19.6 (31.5 km): In Groß Wasserburg, pay attention to the signs. You want to ride to Leibsch and that means you must bear to the right in the center of town at the three-sided park. If you find you are following a bike sign with a running pig, you’ve missed the turn.

(Ask me how I discovered this.) Mile 28.4 (48.0 km): Enter Alt Schadow. Just outside of Alt Schadow, at the Y in the path, take the left way. Mile 33.5 (53.9 km): After slogging through some deep, dry sand, we get to Werder. Not remarkable except we stop for the night in Werder. The hotel here has its restaurant about 100 meters away, down on the river. It is an idyllic setting. Back to the top Day 6: Werder to Früstenwalde Day Overview: We have a flat path today and it is mostly paved though there is a little more sand. We ride 41 miles today before stopping for the night in Früstenwalde. Mile 0.59 (0.8 km): We leave Werder crossing the Spree near the restaurant where we had our nice fish dinner last night. Once across the river, turn left toward Beeskow and ride over gently undulating pine forest.

The Holtzzugbrucke Typical of the narrow roads Tower in walled city of Breeskow Mile 4.6 (7.4 km): In Briescht turn right turn toward a Holzzugbrucke (literally a wooden train bridge). Mile 6.4 (10.3 km): Starting from Rocher, we ride almost 4 miles on a narrow, heavily traveled, shoulder-less road. Cars, busses, and large trucks wait their turn to pass us against heavy oncoming traffic. We ride close together to make their job easier and marvel at their patience. No one honks, or even waives a single finger at us, I guess they are use to sharing the road with bicycles. Mile 15.3 (24.6 km): Enter Breeskow whose walls were built in 1321 from brick. As you leave the city, turn right as soon as you cross the tracks. There is a sign here but it is on the wrong side of the road and easy to miss – unless you’re riding on the wrong side of the road. In a couple miles down the road, you’ll again ride on another high-traffic road with automobile traffic.

Unfortunately, there are no alternatives. Mile 28.4 (45.7 km): Our 2001 era map doesn’t show this brand new paved bike path along the left bank of the Spree alleviating about 15-kilometer loop of mostly sandy path through Briesen. As we pass this way, the road is still under construction and we must push our bikes in a couple spots for short distances to avoid the workers and the heavy equipment. But we do get to use the new bike/footbridge over the Spree. On the other side, the path looks as if it will be asphalted for a short distance then reverts to a sandy track that is difficult riding again. Maxa is slowed down so much that she falls over from the lack of speed. Fortunately, the sand is soft and she is not hurt. Mile 36.8 (59.2 km): Enter Frstenwalde. We stay on the path until the downtown pedestrian zone where we deviate to find a tourist information office. Mile 40.9 (65.8 km): This is the bridge over the Spree where we will pick up the path tomorrow.

Day 7: Fürstenwalde to Berlin Berlin's Nickolivertel on the Spree Day Overview: Another day of flat, mostly paved bike path. Today, our last, we ride 50 miles (80 km) to the Bahnhof Zoo in the center of Berlin. While riding in large metropolitan areas is not the most fun riding we have ever had, we must admit that Berlin is full of interesting things to see and do. Buy a guidebook from any bookstore or tourist information kiosk and enjoy yourself. Mile 0 (0 km): We pick up the path at the bridge over the Spree. After riding only 1.3 miles (2.1 km), we arrive at a traffic circle. Take the bike path to the left side (south) as you approach this traffic circle. There are no signs, but we follow other bikers who seem to know the way. Mile 8.1 (13.0 km): Our map shows a short stretch of sharing the road with traffic in Hangelsberg but not so. I think they have completed more path since the map was last drawn. Watch for signs and turn left on Wulkowerweg towards Mönchwinkel.

Mile 19.7 (31.7 km): We cross over the Autobahn and quickly become confused. Apparently, the bike path is closed for repairs forcing us to decide to follow heavy automobile traffic into Neu Zittau. Then we take the auto bridge across the Spree at 21.7 miles (34.9 km) and pick up a new bike path into Erkner. If I had it to do over again, I would have chosen the closed path; it would have saved us some traffic and confusion. But that is hindsight and if you use too much hindsight while riding your bicycle, you’ll hit stuff you’d rather not hit. Mile 24.3 (39.1 km): At the traffic circle in the center of Erkner, we dropped down to the shore of Dämeritzee. From Erkner into central Berlin, follow the R-1 signs. In Erkner, you enter the state of Berlin, which is also the city limits, sort of. Erkner is a suburb of Berlin.

We try to see if we can take a boat from here the rest of the way into the center of Berlin but we are told, “no bicycles.’ The boatman is quite rude. He probably liked Communism and went into a depression (from which he still suffers) when the government changed 12 years ago. Unfortunately, for him, he now has to work for a living and he is clearly unhappy about it. During lunch, we entertain ourselves watching the boats cruse by with topless sunbathers of both genders. Half of the genders interest me, the other half not. Strangely, Maxa feels about the same. There are so many boats they must all go slow. I wonder why they bother with the expense of boating – there simply is no place to use the boat in such a crowded city. Along the Danube, by contrast, there is excellent boating but few boats. I must be missing something here. Perhaps it is only and excuse to sunbathe. After our break, we pick our way along the park and rejoin the bike path as it crossed the Müggelspree (nothing to do with the Harry Potter series) between Großer Muggelsee and Dämeritzsee.

From there, we are riding on good paths through large parklands until we reach Köpernick, one of the interesting parts of Berlin. Mile 39.9 (64.2 km): We pass the ferry landing at Pläntewald Park. We would have taken this ferry if we had strictly adhered to the path on the map. We did a little “in-town” riding because both Maxa and her brother Guntram are from Berlin originally and they know it well. Mile 41.3 (66.5 km): Maxa's cousin explained that the locals called the island to our right the “Love Island.” Apparently, it is a gathering place for young adults (one would hope they are adults) on warm summer days when clothing can be minimized, or even dispensed with. We could see no activity that might account for such a moniker. We presume that the cousin is exaggerating. Or, maybe we just didn’t look long enough. You know, it’s like missing the bite when one goes fishing. A half-mile further and we have to walk our bikes through a large Biergarten.

When we visited Berlin a few weeks ago, we had lunch here and watched the kids jump their bicycles off a ramp into the river. Mile 47.3 (76.1 km): We ride through the Brandenburger Tor, or the city gate to Brandenburg (All the Spree Bicycle Path signs and stickers display this symbol). The photograph of the Brandenburger Tor is not mine, it is attributed to Werner Kunz with some rights reserved by Werner Kunz . Mile 48.5 (78.1 km): From the Brandenburger Tor, the path takes us through the middle of the Tiegarten, Berlin’s famous central park. The centerpiece of the park is the Siegessäule, or Victory Column. Mile 50.0 (80.5 km): We end the tour at Bahnhof Zoologischler Garten, or Bahnhof Zoo as the locals call it. (Germans pronounce it to rhyme with 'bow' in English. After all, they are German and English is hard for some of them. Or, is it that Zoo is not originally an English word and we are the ones mispronouncing it?

I always get confused.) The first thing on our agenda is to off-load our bikes, including losing that heavy wine bottle I have been carrying the entire distance and the jars of pickles and horseradish we purchased in the Spreewald. We need Bier! We are dead tired from a long, hot day. Much of the riding today was through traffic, which is always a bit nerve wracking. We celebrate our ride with a nice dinner close to Kurfürstendamm and copious amounts of the local brew. Tomorrow, we will catch a train back to our home base in Kassel. Berlin original | Rivers & Lakes Rivers & Lakes Discover the many rivers, canals and lakes in all districts of Berlin. Here you can get information about the outdoor swimming pools and saunas in Berlin. Engelbecken City map The Luisenstadt Kanal in the districts Berlin-Kreuzberg and Berlin-Mitte was opened in 1852 as a waterway, which connected the Landwehr Kanal with the river Spree. In 1926, it was partly filled in with soil and redesigned into a garden.

During the time of the Berlin Wall, 1961 until 1989, the border between East and West Berlin ran along the northern part of the canal. Since 1991, the garden has been reconstructed and in the spring of 2007 the newly designed pool opened. Spree with Mï¿½hlendamm lock Märkischer Platz City map For a total length of 46 km the river Spree runs through the City of Berlin. In the centre of Berlin, the two arms of the river Spree form Spree Island. Shortly after the Weidendamm bridge a distributary of the river Panke flows into the river Spree. After the branch at the Humboldt Harbour on the Berlin-Spandau Canal, the Spree by the Tiergarten, is called Lower Spree in Charlottenburg finally flowing into the river Havel in Berlin-Spandau. From 1882 to 1885, the Spree in Berlin was enlarged as a waterway. It was straightened in the inner city and the banks were fortified with walls. There are 27 species of fish in the river Spree.

(Source:Wikipedia) Tiergarten City map The Landwehr Kanal was built between 1845 and 1850 in Berlin to relieve the Spree as a transit. It connects the upper Spree at the East Harbour with the lower Spree and flows through the districts of Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Tiergarten and Charlottenburg. JungfernheideteichLietzensee City map The Lietzensee is an urban lake in Charlottenburg. The sickle shaped lake has an area of 6.5 hectares, the surrounding parks of Lietzenseepark further 10.1 hectares. The name comes from the village Lietzow, which until its incorporation in 1719 was in the territory of today's Charlottenburg. DianaseeHalenseeHerthaseeHubertusseeHundekehleseeKoenigssee Following Berlin's north west stretch through Potsdam, to below the town of Brandenburg, the Havel flows through a chain of partially quite large lakes.

This includes the Niederneuendorfer See (lake), the Tegeler See and the Spandauer See between Henningsdorf and Spandau. Opposite to the Island, Grosser Wall, the Berlin Spandau Schifffartskanal (ship canal) branches off south east. Below the Spandau locks, opposite to the old town of Spandau, the River Spree then flows into the Havel to pass later through the Tiefwerder meadowlands and the last of Berlin's remaining natural swamp and pike breeding grounds. Shortly after this, the Grosser Wannsee (Great Wannsee Lake) with the Pfaueninsel (Peakock Island) and the Jungfernsee (Maids' Lake) then flows off west into the Sacrow-Paretzer Kanal. Grunewald Lake City map The Grunewaldsee is located in the west of Wilmersdorf on the verge of Grunewald forest. The lake, with an area of about 175,000 mï¿½ belongs to the glacial channel of the Grunewald chain of lakes.

In the north it includes the nature reserve Hundekehlefenn and the Hundekehlesee. In the south-west the chain of lakes follow the two natural protected areas Langes Luch and Riemeisterfenn and then the Krumme Lanke. Halensee City map The Teltowkanal, length 37.82 kilometers, is located in Berlin and the southern surrounding of Berlin. It combines the Dahme waterway (Dahme, a distributary of the river Spree) with the Potsdam Havel. As a federal waterway the canal flows through the federal states of Berlin and Brandenburg and forms partly their national border. GriebnitzseeGroßer WannseeKrumme LankePohleseeSchlachtenseeStï¿½lpchenseeWaldsee Zehlendorf Zehlendorf City map Griebnitzsee is a lake in the western outskirts of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. At an elevation of 29.4 m, its surface area is ca. 0.592 kmï¿½. The lake forms the border between the German states of Berlin and Brandenburg.

It is bordered in the north by the Wannsee district of Berlin, and in the south and west by the Babelsberg district of Potsdam in Brandenburg. Großer Wannsee City map The Wannsee is both a locality in the southwestern Berlin district of Steglitz-Zehlendorf and a linked pair of lakes adjoining the locality. Both lakes, the larger Groï¿½er Wannsee (Large Wannsee) and the Kleiner Wannsee (Small Wannsee), are located on the river Havel and are separated only by the Wannsee bridge. The larger of the two lakes covers an area of 2.7kmï¿½ and has a maximum depth of 9m. The Wannsee is well-known as the number-one bathing and recreation spot for western Berlin. It is the site of the Strandbad Wannsee, an open-air lido with one of the longest inland beaches in Europe and a popular nudist area.

It was built in 1920-1930 after a concept by architect Richard Ermisch.(Source:Wikipedia) Small Wannsee City map The tubular Schlachtensee is almost the most southern lake in the Grunewald chain of lakes. The lake with approximately 421,000 square meters and a maximum depth of about 8 ï¿½ meters is one of the larger lakes in the city of Berlin, the circumference is 5.5 km. The lake is intensively used for walking, and with its well trodden paths along the banks it is one of the most popular jogging trails in Berlin. With its good water quality and wooded location, the Schlachtensee is also a popular bathing spot. Stï¿½lpchensee Kohlhasenbrï¿½cker Straï¿½e 20 14109 Berlin City map The Langer See is a lake situated in the south-eastern outskirts of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. The lake is aligned south-east to north-west and forms part of the course of the River Dahme.

The Langer See is approximately 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) long, with an average width of 218 metres (715 ft) and an area of 2.84 square kilometres (1.10 sq mi). The Dahme flows into the Langer See from the Zeuthener See, at the south-east end of the lake by the Berlin suburb of Schmï¿½ckwitz. It flows out to the north-west near Kï¿½penick and its confluence with the River Spree. At Schmï¿½ckwitz the Langer See also mingles with the Seddinsee. Neu Venedig Berlin - Berlin: the City on the Water - visitBerlin.de EN Home › Berlin: the City on the Water › Berlin: the City on the Water Berlin: the City on the Water Basistext Subheadline: Experience the Capital from the Water Berlin, March 2016 A holiday in, on and around water is no problem in Berlin! There's no other city in Germany in which you can enjoy so much nature and culture from the water.

In addition to a wealth of forests and large parks, the capital offers 59.8 km² of water, including many lakes and about 180 km of navigable waterways – more than enough space for fans of having fun and playing sport on the water. Plus: together with the surrounding state of Brandenburg, Berlin is home to Europe's largest inland water network. 128 canoe operators, 83 charter companies, 65 shipping companies, and 305 pleasure craft harbours were at the disposal of guests to Berlin-Brandenburg in 2014. More Bridges than Venice Anyone interested in bridges doesn't need to head to Venice. Berlin has 960, more than the city on the Adriatic. But that should be no surprise: the Rivers Spree and Havel flow through the city that was once a member of the Hanseatic League. There are plenty of shipping channels and canals running through the city. A part of the Köpenick district on the city's south side that is surrounded on almost all sides by the Müggelsee is appropriately named Neu Venedig ("New Venice"). Berlin definitely lives up to its reputation as a capital city on the water.

Swimming in the Spree? New plans for Berlin's historical centre: Berliners and visitors will soon be welcome to swim in the River Spree not far from the Museumsinsel right in the heart of the city centre. The " Flussbad " project plans to build an approx. 750-meter-long public swimming area in front of this historic Berlin backdrop. The initiative not only seeks to add a recreational area in the city centre, but also improve the river's overall water quality. But if you're eager to start swimming in the area this summer, you'll want to check out Europe's most unusual beach bar where you can swim your laps or just splash around under the open sky on a barge moored on the Spree and converted into a pool. The beach bar at Berlin's Badeschiff will be welcoming guests from spring onwards. Gastronomy at and on the Water Berlin would not be Berlin if the city didn't also offer exceptional dining on and around the water. Guests can relax and enjoy the atmosphere in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg: Haubentaucher offers its guests cool drinks and refreshing dips in the pool of this urban sundeck.

Spend a romantic evening on the wooden planks of the old barge Van Loon docked on the Landwehrkanal at Carl-Herz-Ufer. Tip: the boat restaurant is very popular, so definitely reserve a seat for dinner on warm summer evenings. Also on the Landwehrkanal, a bit further west at Charlottenburger Tor, Capt'n Schillow invites you to board and enjoy the feast that follows. Sushi fans might instead opt for the wide selection on offer on the Patio restaurant ship. Overlooking the River Spree at Helgoländer Ufer near Moabiter Brücke, guests can enjoy the Japanese specialty as well as Mediterranean delicacies and/or exotic cocktails. Cooling off on hot summer days is easy enough at Freischwimmer between Schlesisches Tor and Badeschiff. The cosy restaurant right on the Spree offers evening cocktails and a rich breakfast buffet at the weekend. Regional and international cuisine is on offer in Berlin on gently swaying docksides and boat decks. Since 2002, the Hoppetosse has been anchored in front of the Arena in Treptow and transforms each night from a restaurant to a club boat.

Particularly popular in the summer: the rooftop terrace with views of City East. Perfectly balanced menus including wines await guests at Rio Grande across from the East Side Gallery on the banks of the Spree in Kreuzberg. Top chefs offer creative Alpine cuisine on the water. The Hafenküche in Lichtenberg rewards visitors who reached the restaurant by walking along the shore or by docking their boat with a wide view of the Spree from the waterfront terrace. There's a lot for visitors to explore along the 44 kilometre course of the River Spree through the German capital. One example is Holzmarkt , a creative hotspot in development at the Spree in Friedrichshain: Mörchenpark , a sustainable community garden, the restaurant Fame and the club Kater Blau is already open to visitors. The site will also be equipped with a boardwalk along the Spree. Relaxation on Berlin’s Beaches Toes curled in the sand, a cool cocktail in hand, and the sun on your face – it doesn't get much better than this. Strandbar Mitte opened more than ten years ago directly on the shore of the River Spree, as one of the first beach bars in Germany.

With stunning views of the Museum Island, this idyllic location in the middle of the city offers all city explorers the perfect location to relax in a deck chair, including with a gravel floor instead of a sandy beach. Reggae sounds, the beach, and exotic food: In the Yaam, guests from around the world can relax their souls on the sand by the Schillingbrücke. "Playa del Rummelsburgo" is the name of another beach pearl at the Rummelsburger Bucht. A fine white sand beach, palm shadows, barbecues, music over the water, and cool drinks in the Rummelsburg generate a feeling like the "Playas" of the South. The Ku'damm Beach at Halensee is among the more elegant beach bars in the city. Relax in the lounge furniture on floating pontoons, along with a magnificent view over the lake – you can comfortably round off a summer day in the capital here. Berlin is on the water When stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) on the Spree and on other Berlin bodies of water, courageous people glide along the waterways while standing, marvelling at the sights of the capital from the SUP board – or marvelling at themselves!

Those who prefer to sit while paddling can borrow a canoe at many locations, and get to know the Berlin city centre, Berlin's green locations, or the surrounding areas, either on their own or with a guided tour in a 2-person-kayak . The most beautiful boats of the city cruise romantically around the Insel der Jugend (Isle of Youth), while much attention is paid to the boats. Berlin-Treptow has everything that belongs to the Berlin water city: bridges, islands, bays, rippling relaxation, and a unique cityscape panorama at sunset. Exploring Berlin by Boat The Berlin steamers are starting their season and invite all Berlin visitors to discover the city from the water. These boat tours running past Berlin landmarks and architectural attractions are a great alternative to sightseeing tours by bus. Whether it's a tour through Berlin's city centre or a boat tour across seven lakes – every taste is catered for. A long-running favourite perfectly suited for tourists seeking a first impression of the city or who don't have time for longer tours is a one-hour steamboat tour through Mitte that also passes by the famous Nikolaiviertel with its picturesque old houses from centuries past.

The boat tour is also a great way to see how the city is growing and changing from year to year. Where the riverbanks were once major construction sites, today's passenger can enjoy impressive and architecturally unique buildings and monuments, such as the new Hauptbahnhof (Main Station). Another great way to see Berlin in a different light is to book an evening cruise at sunset. The light tours by Spree Tours start from the popular Plänterwald. Gourmets often opt to treat themselves to Skipper Brunch Buffet on Sundays. Berlin’s shipping companies offer numerous special tours: Shipping company Bruno Winkler has special family tours for visitors with children on offer. Shipping company Riedel operates Berlin’s first solar ship SunCat. One look at the city's map will make the number of tours on water unsurprising: Havel, Wannsee, Tegeler See, Spree, Müggelsee, Landwehrkanal, Dahme – to name only the largest of Berlin's many streams and lakes. They offer enough opportunities that you could spend several weeks in the city only on or in the water.

Sleeping Well with the Water Lapping against Your Boat Sleeping on the Spree: Moored right at the Oberbaumbrücke between the hip neighbourhoods of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, visitors can spend their nights in the hostel ship Eastern Comfort . The cabins of the Eastern Comfort feature private bathrooms, mahogany walls and red carpet, making this the 5-star variant of a backpackers' hostel. Watching the sunsets on the upper deck lounge with a fresh cocktail, a bit of sailor chow and a dance floor will be the highlight of your stay in Berlin. The Floating Lounge can also be booked for events. Fun and Sport on Berlin's Lakes If you're looking to get far, far away, you could actually sail from Berlin to ports on the Mediterranean or the Black Sea, if you'd like. But you really don't have to go so far to have a great time on the water. If the weather cooperates, this city that is home to millions offers plenty of fun in the sun and on the water to last until your next holiday. The Wannsee and Müggelsee beaches are the city's largest and most well-known outdoor swimming areas that charge admission.

There are actually large enough waves on these lakes that fans of surfing can hang ten out here. But smaller lakes such as Schlachtensee or Krumme Lanke in the western district of Zehlendorf are small, idyllic swimming areas that are just as inviting places to splash around and enjoy the sun. As you go west from the city centre, the chain of lakes surrounding Berlin begins just beyond the Kurfürstendamm with the Grunewaldsee; to the east, there's Treptower Park, a popular destination for Berliners along the Spree, with Stralau peninsula and Rummelsburger Bucht. Plus: Stralau is also home to the clubhouse of Germany's first sailing club. Numerous canoe, boat and yacht rental companies offer their services at the lakes. If you have a sailing or motor boating license, you can rent boats of various sizes at the Wannsee. Fans of water skiing and wakeboarding will be in heaven at Wet & Wild. Professionals as well as beginners can do their jumps on the Bernsteinsee in Velten, north of Berlin.

Die Gelbe Welle – Cooperative Initiative with Brandenburg Individualists can, of course, also explore the waters in and around Berlin and the equally famous and charming Spreewald on their own. Berlin is becoming increasingly attractive for water-loving tourists, some even arriving on board their own or borrowed boat. There are a good dozen berths to dock these yachts that sometimes come from as far away as Lake Constance. Places to dock can be found in Köpenick, Erkner, Mitte and all the way out to Spandau. The yachts are free to stop over at no cost at any of these berths for up to 24 hours, provided it is marked appropriately (a white P on a blue background). That's plenty of time to check out the city, do some sightseeing and shopping or maybe go to a play or visit a museum. Guests can also tank up their water or fuel supply while berthed in the city. Special fuel stations and supply vessels take care of this for them. The Aktion Gelbe Welle ("The Yellow Wave") from the Köpenick-Treptow tourism board offers another option for making the stay of boaters passing through the city all the more pleasant.

The yellow wave symbol clearly marks more than 100 marinas, clubs and dock operators in the city at which water tourists are welcome. The action has now been expanded with the state of Brandenburg and it is now even easier to find a place to drop anchor in Treptow, Tegel, Potsdam and the streams and waterways of Brandenburg. Under the "yellow wave" sign, pictograms help identify the available amenities at the stop, including groundside accommodation, free guest berths, toilets, restaurants and the water depth. Historic Harbour and Water and Bridge Events Berlin has a real gem right in Mitte with its historic harbour : more than twenty history ships await visitors on Fischerinsel, in the oldest part of the city near the Mühlendammschleuse. Some of these vessels are still in use today. The large barge Renate-Angelika offers an interesting permanent exhibition over 130 m2 on the history of the region's inland navigation. The restaurant Deckshaus can be found on the ship Jeseniky.

The Berlin-Brandenburgische Schifffahrtsgesellschaft has been working for years to preserve the old harbour and restore the old steamboats docked there. Wannsee in Flammen marks the seasonal highlight for all of Potsdam's and Berlin's shipping companies. Many passenger ships will participate in theparade of ships on 18 and 19 September 2015 with music and dance. The parade ends with a big fireworks show. An annual highlight on the Oberbaumbrücke is the Open-Air-Gallery . Each year on two weekends in summer both established and undiscovered artists exhibit their paintings, graphic arts, sculptures and photographs. For more information: visitBerlin.de 10 Top-Rated Day Trips from Berlin | PlanetWare 10 Top-Rated Day Trips from Berlin Written by Bryan Dearsley While there are enough great attractions within Germany's capital to keep visitors occupied for days, a trip to Berlin's neighboring towns and beauty spots can offer an excellent respite from the crowds. From the lovely palaces and pristine parks of Potsdam to the natural splendor of the Rivers Havel and Spree, the city's rail and public transport networks make it easy to get out and about.

Here are ten of the easiest outings to get you started. 1 Potsdam's Parks and Palaces Sanssouci Park Share: The capital of the state of Brandenburg, Potsdam - located 40 kilometers southwest of Berlin - is one of Germany's most famous former imperial cities and makes for a splendid day trip from the capital. Easily accessible by train and public transport, Potsdam is famous, not only for its beautiful parks and lakes, but also for its old Prussian Rococo palaces (a large portion of this beautiful city is protected under UNESCO Palaces and Parks of Berlin and Potsdam World Heritage Site status). Its most famous royal estate is Sanssouci Park, home to many exquisite gardens, impressive buildings, artworks, and walking trails. Established in 1744, the park's highlights include Neptune's Grotto, the Picture Gallery in the Orangery with its collection of 17th-century paintings (including works by Rubens, van Dyck, and Caravaggio), and the Great Fountain with its representations of the four elements and mythological figures.

Not to be missed are the park's two palaces: Sanssouci Palace, a single-story, domed Rococo building built in 1745 based on sketches by Frederick the Great; and the New Palace (Neues Palais) built in 1769 and famous for its sumptuous interior. Read More: 2 Walking Around Peacock Island Walking Around Peacock Island Share: Peacock Island (Pfaueninsel), just one and a half kilometers long and 500 meters wide, has long been a favorite place for excursions (and yes, it does have a population of peacocks). Accessible by ferry along the River Havel, this 242-acre island was laid out in the style of an English landscaped park and is now home to many rare plants and numerous trees. Scattered amidst the luxuriant vegetation are a number of buildings, including a memorial temple for Queen Luise, built in 1829, and a sandstone portico from the Mausoleum in the park of the Charlottenburg Palace .

Further north is the Dairy Farm (Meierei), built in 1795 in the style of a mock ruin, while in the center of the island lies the 19th-century Kavaliershaus with its Gothic façade. Other highlights include the Schweizerhaus (Swiss Cottage), built in 1830, the Russian Slide, and the Frigate Harbor, all reached via winding footpaths. The most important building, Peacock Island Castle, was built in the late 1790s and resembles a romantic ruin, its twin towers linked by an iron footbridge (it's now home to a small museum). Address: Nikolskoerweg, 14109 Berlin Spandau Citadel Share: The old fortress town of Spandau lies at the confluence of the Rivers Spree and Havel, and until 1920, was an independent trading town due to its position along the main west-to-east trade routes connecting Magdeburg and Berlin .

Granted its town charter in 1232, Spandau's two important settlements grew up: the town on the Altstadtinsel (Old Town Island) and the castle on the Zitadelleninsel (Citadel Island). Today, the highlight of a visit is Spandau Citadel (Zitadelle), an imposing high-walled fortress largely unchanged since its construction in the 16th century. Entirely surrounded by water, the citadel is square in plan with a bastion at each corner, making it virtually impregnable. A narrow bridge leads from the Citadel to the Gatehouse, home to a local museum, while other highlights include the Prince's Room; a splendid old courtyard; and the 14th-century Palas, the castle's residential quarters. Be sure to climb the 145-step Julius Tower with its magnificent views over the Old Town and Spandau Lock. English language audio-guides are available, costing €2.

Address: Am Juliusturm 64, 13599 Berlin 4 River Havel Highlights River Havel Highlights Share: The River Havel flows through Berlin for 30 kilometers of its 340 kilometers, traversing the city north to south before joining the River Elbe near Havelberg. The most beautiful city stretches are around Schildhorn, Lindwerder, Schwanenwerder, the Pfaueninsel, and on the left bank, the Grunewald, Berlin's large forested parkland. A good way to enjoy the scenery is by driving along the Havelchaussee, a leafy stretch of road that winds through the Grunewald and along the river's eastern bank; alternatively, regular tourist buses travel this route, and it's also popular with cyclists. The best way to see the Havel is aboard a riverboat, and numerous options are available, from pleasant private excursions to large state-run ships that ply the river and its adjoining canals.

A good plan is to start at the Freybrücke landing stage in Spandau and take a boat downstream past Schildhorn, the Grunewald Tower, Lindwerder, and Breitehorn to Kladow, returning by boat via the Wannsee and Potsdam before jumping on a bus or S-Bahn back to Berlin's city center. 5 Köpenick Köpenick Roger Wollstadt Share: Like Spandau, Berlin's Köpenick district is the site of a very old settlement dating back to the Bronze Age. Today, Köpenick is not only Berlin's largest district, it's the richest in terms of woodland and lakes, its 14,700 acres of heather-carpeted woods boasting numerous birch, oak, beech, pine, and lime trees. Come summer, walkers and watersports enthusiasts are attracted by this abundance of nature - an estimated 80 percent of the district's surface is covered by water, woodland, and grassland - making it the main recreation area in eastern Berlin. A highlight of a visit should be Köpenick Palace, a 17th-century mansion standing on an island on the Dahme River.

Once home to Prussian royalty, it now houses Berlin's Museum of Decorative Arts. Afterwards, be sure to take a walk around the pedestrian-friendly Old Town of Köpenick with its splendid architecture, particularly its Alte Rathaus (be sure to walk over Long Bridge - Lange Brücke - for its splendid views of the old moat and river). Address: Alt-Köpenick 1, 12557 Berlin 6 The River Spree The River Spree Share: At 382 kilometers in length - some 150 kilometers of which is navigable - the River Spree is the most important tributary of the River Havel, which it joins in Spandau. Visitors looking for a fun day trip should venture into the Spreewald, a lowland area unique both in landscape and culture that lies 100 kilometers southeast of Berlin and is notable for its sandy flats and dunes crossed by numerous watercourses known as the Fliessen (they're popular for punting and rowboats). The region is also notable for its population of Sorbs, a Slavic minority known for their rich cultural customs and colorful traditional costumes.

One of the best ways of exploring the waterway is a round trip on the Spree and the Landwehrkanal, a circular tour that lasts three hours and begins at the Charlottenburg Palace Bridge (Charlottenburger Schlossbrücke) before traveling along the Landwehrkanal through Kreuzberg and then back to the Spree in the district of Friedrichshain, finally returning to Charlottenburg via Old Berlin (Alt-Berlin). 7 The Wannsee The Wannsee Share: Wannsee means two things to Berliners: it refers to the ritzy district with its fine old villas, as well as its two lakes, the Grosser and Kleiner (Great and Little) Wannsee. The lakes are the big draw and rank as one of the top recreation areas for Berliners, thanks to their beaches, sailing, and rowing clubs; numerous cafés and restaurants with terraces overlooking the water; and their many attractive footpaths. The Grosse Wannsee, which covers some 640 acres, is part of a basin gouged out during the Ice Age that runs into the River Havel.

From the southern end with the Wannsee bridge, which carries the Königstrasse from Berlin to Potsdam , a string of small connected lakes runs southwest in a long trough, including the Kleiner Wannsee, the Pohlesee, the Prinz-Friedrich-Leopold-Kanal, and the Griebnitzsee. If driving, take Am Grossen Wannsee, a scenic road on the lake's western bank (another option is to take one of the Wannsee tourist boats that run to and from Spandau and Potsdam). 8 Klein Glienicke Klein Glienicke Share: The village of Klein (Little) Glienicke, on the lake of the same name between Potsdam and Berlin, is famous for its iron Glienicke Bridge with its spectacular views over the River Havel. It's also famous for Glienicke Palace, a Neoclassical country house built in 1826 as a summer residence for Prince Karl of Prussia, as well as its renovated park.

Covering 287 acres, Volkspark Glienicke was laid out in 1816 and opened to the public in 1934 and affords fine views over the Havel towards Potsdam, as well as beautiful riverside and lakeside walks from the Glienicke Bridge to popular Peacock Island (Pfaueninsel). Also of note is the Klosterhof, a former monastery built to a Venetian design in 1850, as well as the Nikolskoe viewpoint, site of a former royal summer home. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul with its Russian-style onion-dome, built in 1837, is also worth a visit. 9 The Military History Museum Official site: 10 The Museum Village of Düppel A popular day trip for families, the Museum Village of Düppel (Museumsdorf Düppel) lies in the southwest corner of Berlin in Zehlendorf, near the original archaeological site at Machnower Fenn.

This educational reconstruction of an early 13th-century medieval settlement consists of numerous old houses; barns and workshops, including a blacksmith shop; a cobbler shop, and pottery, all built using the methods available during this period. Highlights include costumed staff playing the roles of traditional villagers and trades people, and demonstrations of such skills as bread making, pottery, weaving, and carving. The village is also notable for the rare animals it has bred back from extinction, including the Düppel pig. Also of interest are the attraction's use of long-forgotten herbs and vegetables grown using traditional farming techniques. Fun guided tours are available (Sundays only), and a program of Market Days and Medieval Festivals offer a unique insight into life during this period of history. Address: Clauertstraße 11, 14163 Berlin Zehlendorf Hotels Rabattpartner | Berlin WelcomeCard – das Erlebnisticket für Berlin Touristen Berlin WelcomeCard – das Erlebnisticket für Berlin Touristen A lot of city for little money! Our Berlin WelcomeCard partners We found 7 partners matching your search!

25% Boat Tours Potsdam 13 stops between Sacrow and Forsthause Templin connect the two banks of the River Havel. These are served by the two ferries operated by Potsdamer Wassertaxi on a fixed timetable. Cecilienhof, Park Babelsberg, Schiffbauergasse and many other attractions invite you to a take an excursion. 25% Discover Potsdam’s most attractive side! Seven tour boats and the 1908 steam-boat Gustav set off on tours and excursions from the harbour near the Potsdam Main Station. Our tip: The Palaces Tour 25% BWSG Berlin Daily 1 hr city tours on the Spree and 2.5 hr EAST SIDE TOURS from “Alte Börse” pier, near S Hackescher Markt With dining options and commentary in German and English. Yacht and boat hire for groups from 2 to 90 people at Marina Wendenschloß. Motorboats can be hired without a boating license. Caravan sites also available. Tickets available at our Berlin Tourist Infos at the Hauptbahnhof, the Brandenburg Gate or Neues Kranzler Eck.

27% Exclusiv Yacht Charter + Cruises 5 x daily 2 - 3 hour city pleasure cruises starting from Holsteiner Ufer 32 (near Bellevue S-Bahn station): Dep. 10:35 am, 11 am, 1:20 pm, 2:45 pm, 4 pm Government quarter, historical Berlin to Oberbaum bridge and back, stopping at O2 World/ East-Side Gallery + Märkisches Ufer after 1 hr (March-November). Thursday and Friday 7 pm Berlin Evenings (April-October). Daily 11am 3 hr bridges tour! 25% Daily boat tours under the bridges crossing the Spree and the Landwehr Canal through the historic and modern heart of Berlin with commentary in German & English. 25% Various tours daily with commentary in 10 languages. Just call us for details on our range of tours!

Tickets available at our Berlin Tourist Info at Hauptbahnhof, Brandenburg Gate and Neues Kranzler Eck 25% Spree River | river, Germany | Britannica.com Spree River River Thames Spree River, river in northeastern Germany , rising in the Lusatian Mountains just above Neugersdorf and flowing north past Bautzen and Spremberg, where it splits temporarily into two arms. After it passes Cottbus , the river divides into a network of channels, forming a marshy wooded region that is known as the Spree Forest as far as Lübben. It then passes Fürstenwalde and Köpenick and winds through Berlin in several branches to join the Havel River (a tributary of the Elbe) at Spandau after a course of 250 miles (403 km). The Spree drains an area of 3,900 square miles (10,100 square km). A considerable portion of the Spree Forest is now cultivated (market gardening) and also serves as a popular excursion area for Berliners.

The Spree River is connected with neighbouring rivers by canals, the most important of which is the Oder-Spree Canal running southeast from Berlin. Transporting animal feed on the Spree River, Germany B. Backhaus–Pohl/ZEFA in Berlin (national capital, Germany): The city site ...Sea, 118 miles (190 km) north of the Czech-German border, 110 miles (177 km) east of the former inner-German border, and 55 miles (89 km) west of Poland. It lies in the wide glacial valley of the Spree River, which runs through the centre of the city. The mean elevation of Berlin is 115 feet (35 metres) above sea level. The highest point near the centre of Berlin is the peak of the Kreuzberg,... 1 Reference found in Britannica Articles Assorted Reference Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles.

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Question: Which city stands on the rivers Spree and Havel ?
Answer: Berlin